October 22, 2010

Pakistan to receive US$40 million in agricultural aid from US

Pakistani agricultural development projects worth around US$40 million have been approved under Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue, according to Pakistan's Minister for Food and Agriculture, Nazar Muhammad Gondal.

The Minister, who is part of a high-powered delegation that attended Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue in Washington, said the working group approved allocations for various agricultural projects, including US$9 million for wheat production and rust disease prevention, US$9 million for cotton production and disease prevention, and US$9 million for prevention of food and disease in livestock and some other programmes.

He told a news channel that this was the third or fourth meeting with the main focus on increasing wheat production and controlling their diseases in Pakistan.

Nazar Gondal said the projects would also be financed under Kerry-Lugar Bill and USAID. Their implementation is expected to start from next month.

He said the meeting also discussed strengthening of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and utilisation of already allocated grants. The flood situation in Pakistan was also discussed in detail.